Transport device

Abstract

A transport device includes a conveyor, a plurality of movable guide rails each of which is provided at a corresponding one of a plurality of locations along a lateral width direction, a drive shaft disposed to extend along the lateral width direction, and an actuator configured to drivingly rotate the drive shaft. A plurality of cam members are fixed to the drive shaft in respective fixing attitudes. Each movable guide rail of a plurality of movable guide rails is configured to be moved to change a height thereof depending on a fixing attitude of corresponding one of the cam members as the actuator drivingly rotates the drive shaft.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A transport device, comprising:
 a conveyor configured to transport a transported object along a transport direction; 
 a plurality of movable guide rails each of which is provided at a corresponding one of a plurality of locations along a lateral width direction which is perpendicular to the transport direction, such that each of the plurality of movable guide rails extends along the transport direction; 
 a pair of fixed guide rails extending along the transport direction so that one and the other of the pair of fixed guide rails are located on one side and the other side respectively, in the lateral width direction, with respect to the plurality of movable guide rails, 
 a drive shaft disposed to extend along the lateral width direction; 
 an actuator configured to drivingly rotate the drive shaft, 
 wherein a plurality of cam members are fixed to the drive shaft, in respective fixing attitudes, such that each of the plurality of cam members is provided for a corresponding one of the plurality of movable guide rails; 
 wherein each of the plurality of movable guide rails is configured to be moved to change a height thereof depending on a fixing attitude of a corresponding one of the cam members as the actuator drivingly rotates the drive shaft; 
 wherein the plurality of movable guide rails include a pair of first movable guide rails configured to be moved to change heights thereof in synchronization with each other, and a pair of second movable guide rails which are so located that one and the other of the pair of second movable guide rails are located on one side and the other side respectively, in the lateral width direction, with respect to the pair of first movable guide rails, and which are configured to be moved to change heights thereof in synchronization with each other, and 
 wherein the actuator is configured to change a rotation phase angle of the drive shaft to:
 a first phase angle at which the pair of first movable guide rails project above a support height of a transported object being transported by the conveyor and entireties of the pair of second movable guide rails are located below the support height; 
 a second phase angle at which the pair of second movable guide rails project above the support height and entireties of the pair of first movable guide rails are located below the support height; and 
 a third phase angle at which the entireties of the pair of second movable guide rails and the entireties of the pair of first movable guide rails are located below the support height. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The transport device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a first cam member which is one of the plurality of cam members that engages a corresponding one of the pair of first movable guide rails and a second cam member which is one of the plurality of cam members that engages a corresponding one of the pair of second movable guide rails are fixed to the drive shaft in respective attitudes such that an angular position of an engaging member of the first cam member is different from an angular position of an engaging member of the second cam member, and wherein the third phase angle is the rotation phase angle of the drive shaft when the engaging member of the first cam member and the engaging member of the second cam member are at a same height, and
 wherein the first phase angle is attained by rotating the drive shaft an angle θ° in one direction from the third phase angle whereas the second phase angle is attained by rotating the drive shaft the angle θ° in a direction opposite from the one direction from the third phase angle. 
 
     
     
       3. The transport device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of cam members has a cam plate and a projection which projects along the lateral width direction from a distal end portion of the cam plate, and wherein each of the plurality of movable guide rails is configured to be capable of coming in contact with corresponding one of the projections from above and below. 
     
     
       4. The transport device as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising: a raising-and-lowering-state detector configured to detect raising and lowering states of the plurality of movable guide rails. 
     
     
       5. The transport device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the drive shaft includes a plurality of shaft segments with one shaft segment located next to another along the lateral width direction. 
     
     
       6. The transport device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of cam members is so configured that a position thereof on the drive shaft can be adjusted. 
     
     
       7. A transport device comprising:
 a conveyor configured to transport a transported object along a transport direction; 
 a plurality of movable guide rails each of which is provided at a corresponding one of a plurality of locations along a lateral width direction which is perpendicular to the transport direction, such that each of the plurality of movable guide rails extends along the transport direction; 
 a drive shaft disposed to extend along the lateral width direction; 
 an actuator configured to drivingly rotate the drive shaft, 
 wherein a plurality of cam members are fixed to the drive shaft, in respective fixing attitudes, such that each of the plurality of cam members is provided for corresponding one of the plurality of movable guide rails; 
 wherein each of the plurality of movable guide rails is configured to be moved to change a height thereof depending on a fixing attitude of a corresponding one of the cam members as the actuator drivingly rotates the drive shaft; 
 wherein the plurality of movable guide rails include a pair of first movable guide rails configured to be moved to change heights thereof in synchronization with each other, and a pair of second movable guide rails which are so located that one and the other of the pair of second movable guide rails are located on one side and the other side respectively, in the lateral width direction, with respect to the pair of first movable guide rails, and which are configured to be moved to change heights thereof in synchronization with each other, and 
 wherein the actuator is configured to change a rotation phase angle of the drive shaft to:
 a first phase angle at which the pair of first movable guide rails project above a support height of a transported object being transported by the conveyor and entireties of the pair of second movable guide rails are located below the support height; 
 a second phase angle at which the pair of second movable guide rails project above the support height and entireties of the pair of first movable guide rails are located below the support height; and 
 a third phase angle at which the entireties of the pair of second movable guide rails and the entireties of the pair of first movable guide rails are located below the support height. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The transport device as defined in  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of cam members has a cam plate and a projection which projects along the lateral width direction from a distal end portion of the cam plate, and wherein each of the plurality of movable guide rails is configured to be capable of coming in contact with corresponding one of the projections from above and below. 
     
     
       9. The transport device as defined in  claim 7 , further comprising: a raising-and-lowering-state detector configured to detect raising and lowering states of the plurality of movable guide rails. 
     
     
       10. The transport device as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the drive shaft includes a plurality of shaft segments with one shaft segment located next to another along the lateral width direction. 
     
     
       11. The transport device as defined in  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of cam members is so configured that a position thereof on the drive shaft can be adjusted.